NEWS ITEMS AFFECTING GAYS AND LESBIANS

FOR 2006 - July, August, & September

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In the following, "SSM" refers to "same-sex marriage."

News of 2006-July:

2006-JUL-07: Black pastors prepare inclusive revival: Rev. Nathan
Harris of Lincoln Temple in Washington, D.C., has organized meetings at his
church on JUL-11 and 12 to promote multiculturalism and inclusiveness --
specifically an end to homophobia, xenophobia,
ethnocentrism, racism and sexism. He said:

"We’re in the process of making a statement in the community
regarding social justice and we’re trying to keep American culture on
track. The right wing has distorted the mission of the church with this
undue focus on gay marriage and abortion." 1

"The Association also believes that these factors should not
affect the legal rights and obligations of the partners in a
legally-recognized domestic partnership, civil union, or marriage in
regard to matters involving the other partner, such as medical
decisions, taxes, inheritance, adoption, and immigration."

Jeralee Smith, a California teacher and past chairperson of the
NEA Ex-Gay Educators Caucus, announced that she is considering
leaving the NEA. She said:

"People who share our values, which is traditional family and a
few other things, can have no integrity unless they are either
active on the inside to try and change things, or they leave the
union and take their money out of the union's hands.... I just think
it's time for Christians to really pray about their relationship to
the union and do some real soul-searching on their loyalty."

After a heated debate, the delegates decided to replace the word "tolerance"
with "acceptance" in their policy statements. 2

2006-JUL-07: NY & GA: Senior state courts rule
against SSM:The Georgia Supreme Court unanimously overturned a trial
court ruling, and sustained the a constitutional amendment recently approved
to prohibit SSM. The
The Court of Appeals in New York state found that the state's
"one-man, one-woman" definition of marriage did not violate the
constitutional rights of same-sex couples. They also stated than any changes
would have to be made by the legislature. More
information.

2006-JUL-15: MO: Christians and hogs vs. gay campground:Cactus Canyon Campground
is a clothes-optional campground 720 acre camp for gays in the Ozarks. It
opened up as usual on MAY-01. A Christian group had allegedly leased the
adjacent land and had hogs shipped there on MAY-02. I have not had any
personal experience with hogs, but I suspect that the stench is intolerable.
The campground is suing. The American Family Association, a
Fundamentalist legal defense fund, has allegedly offered to represent the
Christians for free. The campground folks are trying to raise money for
legal expenses.

News of 2006-August:

2006-AUG-24: CA: New bills being considered by legislature: Four bills --
SB1437, SB1441, AB1056 and AB606 -- are being considered by the California
legislature. Some have been approved. Mona Passignano, State Issues Analyst for the Fundamentalist Christian advocacy
group Focus on the Family Action, said: "What all four bills will do, they
will reinforce homosexuality, bisexuality and transgenderism in a positive
light." One bill would prevent Californian government from doing
business with any organization that does not provide equal benefits for the domestic partners
and the married spouses of its employees. There is no conscience clause that
would allow religious organizations to continue to discriminate against
these groups. Another bill limits the expression of hatred against sexual
minorities. Existing laws prohibits boards of education from adopting
instructional materials that contain any matter reflecting adversely upon
persons because of their race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex,
handicap, or occupation, or that contain any sectarian or denominational
doctrine or propaganda contrary to law. Bill SB 1437 would augment this list
to include race or ethnicity, gender, disability, nationality, sexual
orientation, and religion. Religious and social conservatives are concerned
about equal treatment of persons of all sexual orientations, including
homosexuals and bisexuals.

Passignano said that the bills:

"...They will keep people from saying anything negative about
them...You cannot preach the Gospel. If you want to preach about
Romans 1, you can't. Someone could say, 'That
makes me feel bad.' You cannot preach what the Bible says...If you're a
Christian, it's got to be alarming. If you are not a Christian, it's got
to be alarming. Because what comes next? Is someone going to say, 'You
can't drive a red car, that's the color of heterosexuals. You have to
drive a purple car?...It's just a historical fact, but you could make
Germans feel bad every time you say Nazi Germany. The (California) bills
say you can't say anything negative [about sexual minorities]."

James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family said that if the bills are
signed into law, the California Legislature will deliver the state's
children:

"...straight into the arms of the homosexual activist
community...If these bills are signed into law, who knows what the liberal courts in
California will be able to make out of this in the years to come? There
goes the next generation of children...If these bills are signed into law, who knows what the liberal courts in
California will be able to make out of this in the years to come? There
goes the next generation of children"

Dobson has asked people to call or e-mail Governor Schwarzenegger. He
said:

"If people don't hit him hard in the next two or three days we're
going to see this legislation and perhaps the other three bills the law
of the land." 3

For an description of various Christian interpretations of Romans 1 and other homosexual "clobber" passages in the
Bible see hom_bibl.htm4

2006-AUG-24: South Africa: Cabinet approves
same-sex marriage bill: The cabinet has given the green light to a bill
that would legalize same-sex marriage in the country. If the bill becomes
law, it would make South Africa the first country in Africa to give same-sex
couples the same rights as opposite-sex couples. South Africa would be the
fifth country in the world to attain marriage equality, after Holland,
Belgium, Spain and Canada.

2006-SEP-08: CA: Gov. Schwarzenegger vetoed
SB 1437:Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed this bill on 2006-SEP-06.
Material in public schools that denigrates people on the basis of their
race, sex, color, religious belief, degree of ability, national origin or
ancestry will continue to be prohibited in California. Material that
denigrates people on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender
identity remains legal. The vetoing of this bill will send a strong message
to the citizens of California that gays, lesbians, bisexuals and
transgender persons are second class citizens, not worthy of protection.

2006-SEP-07: Conservative Judaism may change policy on homosexual
ordination: The Associated Press reported on 2006-SEP-07 that Rabbi Jerome Epstein,
executive vice president of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism,
expects that the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards will vote in favor
of permitting the ordination of homosexual rabbis in 2006-DEC. He expects a type
of local option in which individual seminaries and synagogues will be able to
select one of two contradictory policies. He said:

"The committee might accept -
will accept, I think - two or more [policies]. ... One that actually
reaffirms the current position and at least one that will liberalize it.
It could cause confusion, it could cause tremendous angst, it could cause
tremendous tension, it could cause tremendous disagreement." 5

2006-SEP-08: Pope Benedict XVI criticizes tolerance in Canada:
Pope Benedict XVI met with Catholic bishops from Ontario. He commended
Canada for its "well-earned reputation for a generous and practical
commitment to justice and peace." He is impressed with the separate
Catholic school system in the province. But he felt that Canada's commitment
to justice has led to a "false dichotomy." Human rights have been
extended too far, to allow loving, committed same sex couples to marry and
receive protections for themselves and their children. He said that:

"In the name of tolerance, your country has had to endure the
folly of the redefinition of spouse and, in the name of 'freedom of
choice' it is confronted with the daily
destruction of unborn children.... Catholic involvement in political
life cannot compromise on this principle. [In] your discussions with
politicians and civil leaders, I encourage you to demonstrate that our
Christian faith, far from being an impediment to dialogue, is a bridge.
... Democracy succeeds only to the extent that it is based on truth and
a correct understanding of the human person. Catholic involvement in
political life cannot compromise on this principle."

The pope had made similar comments to bishops from the maritime provinces
and Quebec. He will meet with bishops from western Canada in November. 6

2006-SEP-23: NBJC criticizes NARTH for web site article on human slavery: Gerald Schoenewolf -- a member of
the Scientific Advisory Board of the National Association for Research and
Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) allegedly had an article posted to the
NARTH in website circa mid-2005. It said that African Americans slaves in
the U.S. "... were in many ways better off than they had been in Africa."
The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) is waiting for an
apology. More details.

References:

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